Personnel of the Virac police station are looking into a robbery incident that occurred early Thursday morning (Sept. 13) at the house of a missionary in Cavinitan, Virac.

According to the police, the daughter of Joselito de Paz, 50, noticed an unidentified person, wearing red clothes, of slim build, with long hair and more or less 5’8” in height, leaving their house.

When Joselito and his daughter went into the living room, they found out that the main door was already opened while the screen grills were destroyed. Missing from the house were a Lenovo laptop worth P50,000,00, a projector costing P50,000.00, a cellular phone and four flash drives, all amounting to P120,000.00.

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Two women were injured in separate accidents involving motorcycles on the same day in Bato and San Andres last week.

Housewife Elsie Barba, 58, of sitio Sabang, Divino Rostro, was on board a bicycle at about 6:20 A.M. of Sept. 12, 2018 when she crossed the national highway in front of the San Andres Vocational School (SAVS). The bike was hit by a speeding Kawasaki Bajaj motorcycle driven by Joven Castronuevo, a security guard from Mayngaway. Both tumbled to the pavement and sustained injuries in the different parts of their bodies. The guard had no license to drive while his motorcycle was unregistered.

Barely an hour later, ARDCI bookkeeper Mark Raymund Tabelin, 30, a resident of Pajo Baguio, Virac, was driving a Suzuki motorcycle towards Bato along the highway at Binanuahan when fish vendor Delia Santos, 65, suddenly crossed the road and was hit by the motorbike. Both suffered injuries and were brought to Virac hospitals by responding family members and the PDRRMO.

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The report that RTC Executive Judge Lelu P. Contreras has been suspended by the Supreme Court is said to be correct, but what was unsaid is that the judge has filed a motion for reconsideration.

A source at the RTC says the case stemmed from her court’s decision on criminal cases involving violation of Presidential Decree 705 and similar forest protection laws. At the time, Judge Contreras’ ruling in at least one case markedly differed from the decision issued by her colleague, RTC Branch 42 Presiding Judge Genie Gapas-Agbada, although both accused’s legal troubles arose from the same incident.

Assuming she serves the penalty, the High Court will have to designate replacement judges from the mainland. Already, the one handling RTC Branch 42, Judge Alben Rabe, has reportedly been hospitalized due to a serious ailment, with the hearings of several cases postponed as a result.

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It was a good call for Governor Joseph Cua as chairman of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council when he decided to issue a proclamation suspending classes on all levels on Sept. 13 following the raising of storm signal No. 1 on the island due to the approaching typhoon.

Heavy rains brought by the periphery of the howler brought relief to the parched island, although weather experts and water district officials say it would take at least four more tropical disturbances passing by the island before aquifers and rivers return to normal.

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Local government units and other agencies intending to cut trees obstructing their own projects may have to lobby with Malacanang as the recent DENR policy granting CENROs the authority to approve tree-cutting permits for road obstructions is limited only to the DPWH.

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LAW OF THE JUNGLE. A missionary has spent years teaching agriculture and ‘civilization’ to some people in a distant land. One day, he starts teaching them English. He takes the tribal chief and points at a tree.

“Tree,” says the missionary.

“Tree,” mimics the chief.

The holy man then points to a rock.

“Rock,” he says.

“Rock,” copies the chief.

All of a sudden, they come upon two people having sex in the bushes. Embarrassed, the missionary blurts out that they are ‘riding a bike.’

Then the chief pulls out his blowpipe and shoots the two people.

“What are you doing?” yells the missionary. “I’ve spent all time civilizing you, and you turn around and do this?”